Easy Fudge with Cacao Nibs

Happy Election Day! I hope you voted or plan to vote. I vote this fudge for president - it will not disappoint you!

I love this fudge recipe. Not only is the fudge delicious, but it is SO easy to make. I like the fact that I can make the fudge without the use of a candy thermometer. Whenever I try to make something that requires a reading on a candy thermometer, I always lose patience and figure that 5 - 10 degrees lower should suffice. And it never does...

This fudge has a subtle coffee flavor with a hint of cinnamon. The texture is smooth and creamy, and you will love the slight crunch from the cacao nibs. I shared some of this fudge at work yesterday, and it was quite the hit. My coworkers also vote yes to this fudge, and I hope that you will too. Enjoy!

Recipe for Easy Fudge with Cacao Nibs

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
1 7-oz. jar of marshmallow cream
2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. of instant ground coffee
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of salt
12 ounces of semisweet baking chocolate (62% cocoa), very finely chopped
1 - 2 tsp. of SCHARFFEN BERGER cacao nibs

DIRECTIONS:
Carefully fit a piece of foil into the bottom and on all four sides of an 8 x 8 pan. Very lightly grease the foil in the pan with the end of a stick of butter.
Put the baking chocolate into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the chocolate is chopped very finely. Set aside.
Place the butter, marshmallow cream, heavy cream, sugar, ground coffee, cinnamon, and salt into a medium sized saucepan. Set it over medium heat. Stir to combine the ingredients and allow it to come to a boil. Once it boils, stir it constantly for about 4 - 5 minutes. Then remove the saucepan from heat and immediately pour in the chocolate, and stir until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cacao nibs on top of the fudge mixture. Cover the pan with foil and store in the fridge until it hardens, about 4 hours.
Carefully remove the foil from the fudge. Use a long sharp knife to cut it into desired size pieces. Store fudge in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from: Annie's Eats

Quiche with a Homemade Buttery Crust

I remember that my mom used to the best quiches for dinner. Nobody's quiche could ever compare to hers! When I threw Carrie's shower back in October, I did a brunch theme. I thought homemade quiche would be great to have on the menu. I had never made quiche, so I asked my mom to send me her favorite quiche recipe. I made a couple of quiches with bacon and one without bacon for the shower. The quiches were really good - the crust buttery, the filling creamy, and every bite melted in the mouth!

I had some eggs that needed to be used, so I decided to make another quiche for dinner last week. This time I just made the quiche without the bacon.  One nice thing about the quiches is that the crust can be made ahead of time. When I threw Carrie's shower, I made all of the crusts the night before and tightly covered them in foil and left at room temperature. It saved a lot of time! I'm glad I tried out the quiche recipe, and I know it will be a meal I make often. Enjoy!

Recipe for Quiche with a Homemade Buttery Crust

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust

1 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. of kosher salt

1 stick of well-chilled unsalted butter, cut into several pieces

2 - 3 Tbsp. of ice cold water

For the filling

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks (I love this gadget to separate the yolk)

2/3 cup of heavy cream

2/3 cup of whole milk

1/4 tsp. of salt

1/4 tsp. of ground black pepper

a pinch or two of ground nutmeg

1 cup of grated swiss cheese

4 ounces of cooked bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

For the crust

Place the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a couple times to combine. Add in the pieces of butter to the bowl. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the food processor running, slowly pour 1 tablespoon of the water through the feed tube. Add in 1 more tablespoon of water. If the dough does not leave the sides of the bowl after several seconds, add in the remaining tablespoon of water. Once dough leaves the sides of the bowl and forms into a ball, turn the processor off. Carefully remove the ball of dough, slightly flatten it into a disc, and cover it in saran wrap. Place in the fridge for at least an hour. 

Remove the dough from the fridge. Press the dough into the bottom and up onto the sides of a 9.5-inch pie plate. Place the dough back in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Fit a piece of parchment paper into the pie plate to cover the dough on the bottom and the sides. Fill the pie plate with pie weights or dried beans. Place the pie plate into the preheated oven and cook for about 13 minutes. After 13 minutes, carefully remove the pie plate from the oven. Then carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights/beans. Place the pie plate back into the oven and cook for another 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. While it is cooling, make the filling. 

For the filling

Place the eggs, egg yolks, cream, and milk into a medium-sized bowl. Use a fork or whisk to beat well. Add in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix it in. Stir in the cheese. 

For assembling

If using the bacon, arrange it in a single layer on the bottom of the slightly cooled pie crust. Pour the egg, cream, and cheese mixture into the crust. (If not using bacon, just pour the egg mixture into the pie crust). Place back into the oven and cook for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until golden in color. The quiche will still wiggle a little in the middle - you can check doneness by inserting the edge of a butter knife into the middle of the quiche, if it comes out clean the quiche is done. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Makes 8 one-piece servings. 

Recipe adapted from The Food Network, Emeril Lagasse 

Zuppa Toscana

Recipe for Zuppa Toscana

INGREDIENTS:

Please visit my new website, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the Zuppa Toscana recipe.

Massaged Kale Salad

Have you ever tried kale? If not, you are missing out. Before I had tasted kale, I was under the impression that it was a boring and green leafy vegetable that was very bland in taste. Boy was I wrong! Kale is tasty & it can be used in many different dishes. Since discovering the many wonders of kale about a year ago, I have made pastas with kale, kale smoothies, soups with kale, and kale salads! I love the stuff.
If you don't know much about kale, you should know that kale is a super food. It is great for protecting your health and preventing cancer, because it has cancer-fighting compounds and it is full of vitamins and minerals. Kale can be found in most grocery stores. I like to buy kale in packaged bags in which the kale has already been cut and washed, especially if I will be serving it raw.
I have made this massaged kale salad several times. It is pictured here with red grapes, toasted almonds, and Parmesan cheese. I have also made the salad with caramelized onions, toasted almonds, and Parmesan. Mango, toasted pumpkin seeds, and coconut are also great toppings for this salad - it is versatile. The dressing is a delicious mix of lemon, honey, and olive oil. I think you will love this salad & you will love the way you feel after eating all of the healthy foods in the salad (kale, almonds, red grapes). Enjoy!

Recipe for Massaged Kale Salad

INGREDIENTS:
For the salad:
3 Cups of kale, stems removed & torn into smallish pieces
Juice of 1/2  lemon (you'll need the other half for the dressing)
A drizzle of Extra-Virgin olive oil
Dash of kosher salt
2/3 cup of seedless red grapes, whole or cut in half
1/4 cup of toasted almonds, whole or chopped
2 - 3 Tbsp. of finely grated Parmesan cheese
For the dressing:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. of honey
1/4 cup of Extra-Virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Put the kale into a large bowl. Pour the juice of 1/2 lemon over the kale and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Add in the dash of kosher salt. Massage the kale with your hands (make sure your hands are very clean)! Massage the kale until it begins to soften and wilt (this will take 1 - 2 minutes). Set the bowl aside while you prepare the salad dressing.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the rest of the lemon juice, honey, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Pour in the 1/4 cup of olive oil while whisking the mixture until a dressing forms. Taste the dressing & adjust to your desire.
Pour the dressing over the kale and mix well. Top the salad with the toasted almonds, red grapes, and Parmesan. Divide amongst salad bowls - serves 3 - 4.


Recipe Adapted from: The Food Network, courtesy of Aarti Sequeira 2010

NOTE:
This brand of packaged kale is very good for the kale salad. Other brands of packaged kale have been more bitter, and if I used it the overall taste of the salad was not as good. But the Glory brand always has been great!